Double ruffling mechanism for sewing machines



J. GALKlN May 29, 1956 DOUBLE RUFFLiNG MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOSEPH GALKIN INVENTQR ATTORNEY J. GALKIN May 29, 1956 DOUBLE RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 S Sheets-Sheet 2 JOSEPH GALKIN ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 J. GALKIN 2,747,531

DOUBLE RUFF'LING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG?) JOSEPH GALKIN k INVENTOR BWM ATTORNEY United States Patent DOUBLE RUFFLING MECHANISM FOR SEWlN G MACHINES Joseph Galkin, New York, N. Y.

Application August 28, 1953, Serial No. 377,043

1 Claim. (Cl. 112-432) This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to sewing machines with duplex rufiling mechanism whereby tucks are formed in the upper and lower faces of a strip of fabric simultaneously with sewing both tucked surfaces of the strip to an edge portion of a sheet of fabric.

In Patent No. 2,086,013, dated July 6, 1937, and Patent Number 2,086,03 8, there is disclosed a rufiling mechanism whereby tucks are formed in one edge portion of a strip of fabric concurrently with sewing thereof to a sheet of fabric.

The article produced by the mechanism disclosed in the said patents was such that tucks appeared only on one face of the article, and an object of this invention is to provide improvements whereby both the upper and lower surfaces of the article will have similar tucks.

Specifically, it is desirable to provide a highly simplified lower rufiling mechanism below the work supporting base of the sewing machine to complete the operation of covering the upper as well as the lower face of the body fabric with tucks, and without excessive modifications of the sewing machine frame shown in Patent Numbers 2,086,013 and 2,086,038.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of an upper rufiling sewing machine having lower rufiling mechanism of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1, one side being broken away for facility in the drafting work.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a work supporting plate, showing a modified needle plate cut away to permit the lower rufller blade to be moved close to the needles, and showing the lower rufiiing blade mounted for movement into the cut away portion of the needle plate.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a double tucked horizontally positioned U-shaped strip made in accordance with this invention and sewed to the upper and lower faces of a sheet of fabric.

Figure 5 is a view showing a series of lower tucks produced by the mechanism disclosed herewith, the tucks being in the lower surface of a U-shaped strip of fabric.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numeral indicates a work supporting base of a sewing machine, comprising a base plate 11, two spaced needles 12, and a presser-foot 13, resting on a needle plate 14 secured to the work supporting base 10.

Projecting through the needle-plate 14 is a work advancing feed-dog 15 having actuating mechanism (not Fee shown) but which may be of the usual four-motion type of feeding mechanism.

The feed-dog 15 is opposed by the resser-foot 13 having its shank 16 suitably secured to the lower end of a resser-bar 17 vertically movable in the head of the sewing machine in the usual manner.

The needles 12 are secured in a needle-bar 18 vertically movable in the head of the sewing machine. Co,- operating with the needles 12 below the work supporting base 10 is an oscillating looper (not shown). The looper thread interlocks with the needle threads to form two needle lock stitching.

A main shaft 20 is suitably journaled in the base portion of the machine and from which the stitch forming and feeding elements are driven.

The base 11 has an upright tubular standard 22 extending therefrom and having an upper overhanging horizontal arm 23 terminating in a hollow upright head 24.

The presser foot 13 has an independently movable component 26 which is pivoted at 27 and yieldingly urged downward toward the work supporting base by a spring- 28, the outer end of the component being upwardly inclined at 29.

The upper ruflling mechanism, comprises a rock-shaft 34 which extends horizontally along the front surface of the head 24 and which is supported in bearings 31 suitably secured to the head by screws 32. Fixed to the front end of the rock-shaft 30 is a depending arm 33 to which is pivotally attached at the swinging end on a pin 34, a member 35 carrying an upper ruffier blade 36. The upper ruffiing mechanism also comprises a separator plate 37 which is supported by a bracket member 38 secured to the head 24 by screws 39. The blade 36 is tensioned by a spring 40.

Rocking movement is imparted to the upper rock-shaft 30 by means of mechanism which includes an eccentric 46 on the main shaft 20. The connecting rod 47 of the eccentric 46 extends upward within the hollow tubular standard 22 and is pivotally connected at its upper end to one end of an arcuate arm 48.

The arcuate arm 48 is of dovetail cross sectional configuration and has its center of curvature in the axis of the eccentric 46 when the arm is at the end of its upward swing with the upper rufiler blade 36 in its fully advanced position at the needles 12.

The arcuate arm 4?, is slidably engaged in a correspondingly shaped slot of a head 52 secured to the rear end of the rock-shaft 30, the slot extending crosswise of the axis of the shaft. A hoilow clamp sleeve 53 loose on a screw stud 54 projecting laterally from the head 52 has a bevelled surface to engage the lower bevel of the arm 48.

By means of a nut 57 engaging threads on the stud 54 the sleeve 53 is forced inwardly and thereby operates as a wedge to clamp the arcuate arm 48 in the head 52. Upon loosening the wing nut the arcuate arm 48 may be set in different positions in the slot of the head 52 for the purpose of varying extent of movement imparted to the upper ruffier blade 36.

To facilitate these adjustments, the arcuate arm 48 is provided with graduations for selective registry with an arrow mark on the head 52. A pair of spaced laterally projecting pins 66 on the arcuate arm 48 serve by cooperation with the head 52 to limit the extent to which the arm 48 can be shifted with respect to the head 52.

The arcuate arm 48 projects outward from the point of its attachment to the connecting rod 47 within the machine housing through a vertical slot 61 in the side of the standard 22. The above provide for regulation of the upper rock-shaft 30 from the exterior of the machine, all the above is as shown in Patent No. 2,086,038 A The duplex ruffling sewing machine comprises an impra ed folder which is supported by a bracket 76 to the work supporting base 10. The folder comprises a plate 77 which forms a, support for a stripof fabric.

A folding plate 78 is secured to the supporting plate 77 at. the lengthwise edges; of the inlet portion of the folder and the, folding plate is spaced from the supportingplate and arranged substantially parallel therewith, thus forming a guiding channel 80. The. supporting plate '77 extends furtheroutwardlythan the folding plate, 78. The guiding channel 81) at the receiving end is substantially flat.

Both plates 77. and 78 taper gradually and are bent rearwardly from a point at its receiving end to a-point substantially in line with the needles, thus causing the guiding channel to assume a substantially horizontallylp o'sitioned U -shaped form.

The folding plate 78 is cut away centrally thereof, so as to form an openingS Z through which the fabric may be engaged to assist in threading the strip of fabric into the folder, 7

As shown in Figure 1, the inner wall 85 defining-the U-fshaped portion ofthechannel 80 isdirected in a rightangular direction and in line parallel with the line of stitching. The wall 85 is ata considerable distance from Iti'sto be noted that the wall 85 is considerably elongated and converges in substantially U-shaped form to-.

wards the needles, and together with a similarly curved supporting wall 87 which is spaced therefrom, providea U-s'haped guiding channel 88 whichis much smallerthan the, guiding channel '80.

The'walls 85 and 87 form the delivery end ofthe folder and terminate slightly in 'front of the stitch-forming and feeding mechanism of the sewing -,machine. At the deliyery'e'nd from'th'efolder, the'free side edges of the wall 85 are {gradually curved 'to form folding and guiding scrolls 89 'which are carried around the edges 90 of the supporting plate 87.

The supporting plate 87'is cut awaycentrally thereof, to form an opening 91 through which the strip of fabric may be-engagedto assist in threading the fabricthrough the folder extension 92. V

The improvement consists of the'lower rufiiing mechanism and comprises a rock-shaftifitlextendinghorizohtally along the base 11 and whichis supported in spaced bearings 101- securedtothe base.

Fix-ed to the front end of the rock-shaft 1'00is an upright arm 102 to which is pivotally attached at the swingingend, a member 103 carrying a miller blade104. The carrier member 103 is connected to the'upper-end of a tension coil spring 105 which at it s'lower end engages an 1 adjustable tension arm 106 secured to the upright arm 102 by a clamp screwv 107. a

The spring 105 holds the front edge 109 of the lower rufiier blade 104 yieldingly in contact with a separator plate 110 which is supported by a bracket member'lll secured to the base portion of 'the machine. The pressure of the lower rufiier blade '104' towardthe separator plate 110 can be varied by regulating the tension of the spring 105, and by adjustment of'the tension arm106.

As shown in Figure 3, the-front-portion"1 12 of the needle plate 14in alinement with the needle holes. is removed to permit the further rufliing blade104 to closely approach the needle holes 113 'in' the needle plate.

An upright arm 115 is su'itablyfixed to the rear end of therock-shaft 100' andhasas'egmentaI slot'116. An eccentric 117' is mounted-on the'inain shaft 20,' forward ofthe ec'celntric46. 'A'crank arm or connec'ting'rod 118 isn1ountedon the eccentric 5 117 and extends through" a s'lot i 19 in 'the front portion of the-base 11' and is pivotal- 1y connected to'th' arm 1'15 by'a-'stnd 120 pas'sing' th'rough the slot 116 and suitably arranged to be adjusted longitudinally of the slot 116 and to be clamped in any desired position therealong. This pivotal connection constitutes means for adjusting the movements of the lower ruffier blade 104.

It is to be noted that the eccentrics 46 and 117 are mounted on the main shaft 20in timed relation to cause simultaneous formation of upper and lower tucks in the fabric strip when it is in the horizontally positioned-U- shaped form at the outlet end portion of the folder 75.

The timing arrangement is made possible due to the independent adjustments of the eccentrics 46 and 117. The mflier blades are in fully advanced position at the needles when both eccentrics are at their maximum throw.

In operation, a main fabric section in flat form and a strip of fabric in U-shaped form are fed to the needles. The main section is fed into and through the open U- shaped extension or discharge portion 92. The strip to be double tucked is passed through inlet and outlet passageways or guiding chambers 80 and 88 inside the folder.-

The main fabric section and the U-shaped strip are simultaneously delivered through the. folder 75 andare intermittently advanced by the feed dog 15. The upper edge portion of theiu-shaped strip and the main fabric section are .maintainedi-n separation by a separator plate 37.

By the actionofthe upper ruffler blade which is .constantly reciprocated by the swinging movement of the arm 33 on the rock shaft 30, the upper edge portion of the U-s'haped Ifa'bric strip is tucked and caught beneath the presser-foo't 13, the upper rufiling blade bringing .the upper fabric fold each time slightly beyond .the needles.

By the action of the lower rufiler blade which .is .constantly reciprocated by the swinging movement of the arm 102 on the rock shaft 100, the lower edge portion of the 'U-shaped fabric strip is tucked and caught beneath the .prejssenfoot -13, the'lower rufiiing blade bringing the lower fabric fold-each timeslightly beyond .the needles.

The folded strip after-leaving thefolder is directed to the needles '12 which enter the folded strip so astogpass through both folded :edges and through the main fabric section.

It is tobe noted that theseparator or-stripping blades 3'7 and '110 arespacedapart topermit passage of a main fabric section therebetween.

It is -tuber-noted that the upper andlower rutfiing blades 36-and 104 are-arranged to feed considerably more :of.

the fabric than the-feeding done-'by'theifeed-vdogzfi;

- The feeding movements .of' both :ruflier :blades start when the ABCdlES fiIGOUtLOf the fabric. The :feeding movements of the ruffier blades stop when the needles enter the fabric.

-'AS=-Sl.10WI1:ln-Flgul'6 3 by shaded'lines, the outer-.edge defining the cut away portion 112 of the needle; plate 14 isxbeveleddownward-at 'an'zangle'of about thirty-five degrees-in alinement with the needle holes and; inaugularalignment Withfthe tangular ,po sitiona of the: lower ruffling-blade 104.

As shown inrEigure 3, the 'lower' rufilerbladez104 has an elongatedislot 126 allowing fonadjustment. The: blade 1'04-whas a=fomvard-serratededge 1271in' whichis for-med two needle-receiving slots 128.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of' a doubletucked horizontally'positioned- U-shaped strip 130. folded-around an" edge of a; sheet .of; fabric 131 and secured; thereto :by two rows of "stitching. 132. :The-foldedstrip i-:has upperzand-lowerv tucks 133=and 134. The .sheet of fabric maybe a quilt or other likeematerial.

In:accordance-with the; patent statutes I have described andiillustraited. the preferred embodiment of :my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifi cations 'e'an be madefithereinuwithoutdeparting from the spirit of =the=-invention as defined -by .the appended claim.

I claim:

In a sewing machine having needles, a work supporting base, a needle plate, upper and lower rufiiing and stripping blades and means for actuating said ruffling blades from opposite directions relative to said base to form ruflles on opposite faces of a single, fiat and nonfolded fabric strip; comprising a two-direction folder fixed to said work supporting base and having a vertical inlet adapted to receive a flat and non-folded strip of fabric in a direction transverse to the line of stitching, said folder having means for folding the upper and lower edges of said strip and for folding said strip into U-shaped form while supported vertically at the longitudinal front edge portion of said base, said folder having means for refolding said folded strip ninety degrees so as to cause said strip to face in direction of the line of stitching, said folder having means for causing said folded strip to leave said folder in direction parallel with the line of stitching and in horizontally positioned U-shaped form, said upper and lower rufiiing blades being positioned to form tucks in the upper and lower edge portions of said folded strip, said ruflling blades being resiliently supported in angular relation with said needles, said needle plate having a front portion removed and having a downwardly bevelled front edge portion in alignment with and close to said needles to permit said lower rutfiing blade to closely ap' proach said needles, said lower milling blade being positioned below said needle plate and reciprocatingly movable toward and away from the same, said rufiling blades being actuated to form tucks in the lower edge portion of said horizontally positioned U-shaped strip simultaneously with the formation of tucks in the upper edge portion of said strip, stripping blades fixedly mounted between said rufiling blades, said stripping blades being spaced apart to permit entrance therebetween for a body fabric for attaching said post-folded double tucked strip to an edge portion of said body fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,111,339 Weis et al. Sept. 22, 1914 1,118,321 Weis Nov. 24, 1914 1,884,238 Riviere Oct. 25, 1932 2,086,038 Kucera July 6, 1937 2,277,721 Seaman Mar. 31, 1942 2,283,535 Burkey May 19, 1942 2,506,325 Ackerman May 2, 1950 2,669,203 Hiltbrunner et al. Feb. 16, 1954 

